Strawberries for Back-to-School Nutrition

Eating a healthy diet is key to a child’s development, school performance, and overall health. However, getting kids to eat more fruits and vegetables can be challenging. One key is starting with fruits and vegetables kids like and building on that – such as kid-friendly fruits like strawberries.

This past summer I had the pleasure of expanding my knowledge about the science, agriculture, and culinary delights of strawberries. I was invited on a sponsored harvest tour on California’s Central Coast and got to speak with farmers, researchers, and chefs to learn about the farm-to-table journey of strawberries. To share with you some of the insights I learned on the trip, here are my #12Reasons strawberries are ripe for back-to-school nutrition.

1. Low In Calories – High In Fiber

One cup of sliced strawberries contains only 54 calories and has 3 grams of fiber. Eating foods low in calories and high in fiber is important for weight management and overall health.

2. Boost Vitamin C Intake

A powerful antioxidant important for maintaining connective tissue and immunity, vitamin C is found in abundance in strawberries. With more vitamin C than an orange and loaded with nutrients, California strawberries are a nutritious and versatile fruit to enjoy every day.

3. Benefit Bone Health

Strawberries contain magnesium, potassium, and vitamin K, which are important for bone health. For added bone-building nutrition, enjoy strawberries with milk or yogurt for added calcium.

4. Ultimate Convenience

Strawberries are wash and go fruits that can be enjoyed in a wide variety of ways. Whether you pack some whole in a lunchbox, make a fruit salad to keep in the fridge, or include them in a savory dish like sautéed salmon, strawberries work with practically everything, adding a boost of nutrition, flavor, and color.

5. Support Family Farmers

With family farmers growing 90 percent of the nation’s strawberries in California, odds are the strawberries you’re enjoying came fresh from the Golden State. Enjoying strawberries makes it easy to give back to family farmers and teach your children where their ruby fruit comes from.

Owners of Providence Farms, Tom and Ruth Jones have been growing strawberries and blackberries in the Salinas Valley and Santa Maria for 28 years. Continuing the family farm legacy, their daughters help out as needed and their son Parker is a ranch manager.

6. Always In Season

While most fruits and vegetables have a limited growing season, I was surprised to find out that California strawberries are harvested and freshly available year round.

7. Perfectly Portioned Dessert

Another reason I love California strawberries is that they make for an easy and delicious dessert as is or topped with chocolate (yum!). Two chocolate-dipped strawberries have about 100 calories and is usually all I need to feel satisfied. Now what kid wouldn’t go for that?

8. Reduce Added Sugars

With children and adults consuming 3-4 times the amount of added sugar that is recommended for good health, finding (non depriving) ways to cut down on added sugars is key. Naturally sweet, one cup of sliced strawberries contains just 8 grams of naturally occurring sugar (and 57 calories), while a cupcake has 31 grams of added sugars (and 320 calories).

9. Kids Love Finger Foods

Getting kids to eat more fruits and vegetables can be challenging. One simple trick that has been shown to get children to eat more produce is simply cutting it. However, to make it even easier, strawberries already come in the perfect size for kids to enjoy with their hands. Simply rinse off the berries and serve them with a fun dipping sauce.

10. Make Recipes More Kid –Friendly

Whether you’re serving French toast, cereal, or yogurt, adding fresh strawberries to the mix is going to make it all the more appealing for kids. For kids, I love cutting up toasted whole-grain waffles into small squares and skewering them with fresh strawberries to make a breakfast berry kabob. It makes for a really fun and nutritious breakfast in five minutes or less.

11. Promote Eye Health

Studies show that the antioxidants in berries reduce the risk of cataracts, macular degeneration, and other eye diseases. While your kids are still too young to worry about macular degeneration, as a parent steady strawberry intake might just help you keep a better eye on what they’re up to!

12. Simply Delicious

Maybe the most important reason to eat strawberries… they are simply delicious! Whether you like them clean off the stem, sliced for a topping, or heated into a sweet sauce or jam, strawberries provide taste, nutrition, and versatility that are appreciated at any age.

About Patricia Bannan

Patricia Bannan, M.S., R.D., is a Los Angeles-based registered dietitian specializing in nutrition and health communications. She develops news segments for television stations, writes articles for magazines, and serves as a consultant and spokesperson to PR agencies and industry groups nationwide. She is the author of Eat Right When Time Is Tight: 150 Slim-Down Strategies and No-Cook Food Fixes.

Disclosure: While I was compensated by the California Strawberry Commission to write this blog, all opinions are my own.